Jinamanjari 1999 09 No 20

Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

Page 58

Although their capital was Veņūr, the Ajilas also had built palaces at Aladangadi, Kela, and Baraya. Presently, the palace vestiges in Veņūr are found between the Bahubali hill and the Mahalingesvara temple in the flat low land. There are vestiges of two carved stone elephants (three feet in height) which stand at the main entrance to the palace, and four mukha mantapa pillars. There are also scattered stones and slabs. The Phalguni river flows through between the palace site on the south side and Jain street on the north side (On other sides, Parai and Bakimaru farms and a place known as “nadti kallu” where the statue of Gommata was kept.)
Timmanna Ajila I ruled from 1154 to 1180 in Venür where he repaired and renovated the palace into seven stories, and had control over the Veņūr, Kela, Perinje and Ajjibettu areas (areas lost to the Hoysala Visuvardhana during previous regimes). During the period from 1180 to 1186, Timmanna did not produce offspring except for his two daughter, Channamma and Madurakkadevi.
They were married to Govindarayappa and Camundaraya of Ghatta and they belonged to the Ganga dynasty. As they did not have male issues, and there was no chance for them to ascend to the throne, they traveled to Banavasi and complained to the Kadamba king, Kamadeva. During this time, Tulunadu was controlled by the Calukya emperor, Tribhuvanamalla Somesvara, and his feudatory was Kamadeva.
When theses two sisters went away from Veņūr, a bhant belonging to Punja family of Bitalabetta occupied Veņūr and ruled for six years from 1180 to 1186. Unfortunately, the Ajilas lost their kingdom during this period to their general, Perinje, and Veņūr became known as Punja and part of the Punja kingdom.
When the Kadamba king, Kamadeva, announced his campaign against Punja, Perinje ran to a village known as Saunalu. His burial place in the farm is now known as “Punjalatimaru.' Madhurakkadevi was installed as the ruler at Veņūr along with Aladangadi, Sulkiri and thirteen other maganes. Rayakumar I ruled from 1186 to 1204 C.E. During this period, Madhurakkadevi built a palace at Aladangadi, a Jain temple near the palace, and the Somanatha temple. In the year 1208 Parabhavasam Kartika IV crowned her son Rayakumara.
Ajila Art and Architecture
Several memorials that are found at Aladangadi and neighbouring place presently are the only remnants of Ajila art and